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A Feline Rescue without pipe-cutting or positive pressure.

2 comments

Demythologizing an Urban Legend

Mike Seely, writing in today's Seattle Weekly blog, describes a July 5th dilemma.

After exhausting all other means to get Quincy down:

I decided to pay a personal visit to our local firehouse three blocks away.

Through a window, I saw a handful of firefighters hanging out near the front door, and rang the after-hours bell.

They answered, and I sheepishly asked them if they'd be willing to rescue a cat stranded on a roof down the street.

They chuckled at the request, but quickly agreed to have a look.

Upon meeting me at the house, the leader of the squadron informed me that if they were to receive an actual emergency summons, they'd have to promptly split and come back, provided things calmed to a point where they could come back.

You need to read the rest of the article here: Firefighters Really Do Rescue Cats: Demythologizing an Urban Legend

There is excitement, intrigue and a frozen peanut butter and banana pie.

Tip of the helmet to the Seattle Fire Department Ladder 13 crew from Highland Park!

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

PS: Seattle Fire Department's 22 page 2009 Emergency Response Report is another great approach showing OUTCOME based criteria to support budgeted activities. 

Worth a look! Click HERE.

Also on FireGeezer…

Posted by on July 6, 2011 • Filed under: Command & Leadership, culture, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, News, public relations, Special Operations, Urban Commander • Tagged: , , , , , , , ,
  • ltfd seattle

    Mike, you are correct that outcome based criteria can help support a fire department’s operations/staffing. However, the Seattle Fire Department’s Annual Report, even though required by law (Chapter 35.103 RCW [Revised Code of Washington] Fire departments — performance measures), had to be wrested from the City/Fire Department Administration.

    The law requiring an annual performance report to the public has been on the books for a few years, but a lot of Washington Fire Departments don’t comply with the law, which requires specific standards of response to be identified, with compliance reported annually to the public.

    I queried our former PIO about our missing, legally required report, but it took pressure from Local 27 to get the report published. Unfortunately, the department/city still aren’t in compliance with identifying standards for, or reporting on compliance with, marine & technical rescue operations. Additionally, RCW 35.103 requires that fire departments identify ways (more units, more stations, traffic control devices, etc.) that they can achieve compliance with identified response standards.

    When departments in Washington aren’t making the grade (their own self-selected level of service delivery), they are supposed to advise the public how they intend to improve. Seattle isn’t doing that. They are just coloring a lot of red on the outskirts of the service delivery map.

  • http://www.firegeezer.com Mike “FossilMedic” Ward

    ltfd seattle, hanks for the additional information,  Glad you saw the article.

    Mike